Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a bearing for guiding—in particular but not exclusively by relative sliding, preferably without rolling—a first guided piece with respect to a second guided piece, comprising a first bearing surface:                fixedly attached to the first guided piece,        arranged to co-operate in guiding contact with a second bearing surface fixedly attached to the second guided piece.        
Throughout the text, the expression “guiding contact” means that the bearing surfaces are at least partially in contact with each other and that this contact is arranged so as to act in a guiding manner for the first guided piece and the second guided piece with respect to each other with at least one degree of freedom, i.e. with at least one translation and/or with at least one rotation. The terms “fixedly attached”, “to fixedly attach” and derivatives thereof mean that two elements are arranged with respect to each other to normally have the same kinematics and the same movement with respect to each degree of freedom of said guiding contact, in the absence of undesirable seizing.
Description of the Related Art
Numerous known mechanisms (hydraulic and/or pneumatic and/or electric and/or electromagnetic shock absorbers or cylinders . . . ) incorporate various guide bearings. In some applications, such as in aeronautics, seizing of such a bearing likely to cause an at least partial locking of the two guided pieces with respect to each other can have serious consequences. It is thus necessary to ensure that such locking cannot occur. The currently envisaged solutions for providing this guarantee substantially consist of ensuring a high level of manufacturing quality for these mechanisms and of regularly checking the correct operation, absence of wear and presence of sufficient lubrication. When allowed by the kinematics of the mechanical device as a whole, a plurality of similar elements are placed in series such that seizing of one of the elements does not prevent operation of the others, which may possibly partly compensate for this seizing. However, this solution is costly in terms of installation and maintenance, is troublesome and not completely adequate.